Draw poker with bonus bet

1 . A method of playing a card game comprising:

a player placing an Ante to participate in the game;

a dealer dealing a plurality of cards to each player;

a dealer dealing one draw card to each player position;

a dealer dealing a plurality of cards to a dealer;

providing each player an opportunity to discard the one card and then replace with the at least one draw card, the at least one draw card becoming part of a player's hand to form a best player hand, such replacement made without the player placing an additional wager;

forming a best dealer hand from fewer than all cards dealt to the dealer, the best dealer hand containing the same number of cards as each best player hand;

each player placing a Play wager that is a multiple of the Ante or folding;

comparing each player's best hand with the best dealer hand based on the predetermined card rankings; and

resolving all bets, wherein each of the plurality of cards dealt to the dealer is dealt face down, and wherein the number of cards initially dealt to the dealer is at least one more than the number of the plurality of cards initially dealt to each player.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

requiring each player to place an Ante bet before the cards are dealt; and

allowing each player to place an optional Bonus bet, such Bonus bet paid independent of the dealer hand and based on a predetermined criteria.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cards dealt to each player is selected from the group consisting of three and five cards.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the play bet has a minimum equal to two times the ante bet and a maximum equal to three times the Ante bet.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple is selectable by the player.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the Ante and Play bets are resolved in favor of the player only if the player's best hand beats the best dealer hand based on poker ranking.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the Ante bet is resolved in favor of the player only if the best dealer hand qualifies.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an ante bonus is paid based on the Ante bet if the Ante bet is paid and if the player's best hand achieves a predetermined ranking.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined criteria comprises an odds paytable.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the best dealer hand and each player's best hand respectively consists of three cards.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the best dealer hand and each player's best hand respectively consists of four cards.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the best dealer hand and each player's best hand respectively consists of five cards.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each player is provided the opportunity to place a second Play bet after the opportunity to replace at least one card.

14 . A method of playing a card game with at least one player, comprising:

requiring the at least one player to place an Ante bet;

allowing the player to place an optional Bonus bet;

dealing three cards to the player to create a player hand;

dealing four cards face down to a dealer;

dealing one draw card to the player;

allowing the player to fold or place a play bet in an amount that is a multiple of the Ante after viewing the player's cards;

allowing the player the opportunity to discard only one player card and then replace one of the player's cards with at least one optional draw card, such replacement made without the player placing a separate bet;

creating a dealer hand by discarding one dealer card; and

paying the player on the Ante and Play bets only when the player's hand outranks the dealer's hand in accordance with a poker hand ranking wherein paying the player on the bonus bet based on the player's hand and according to a bonus paytable.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein an Ante bonus is paid according to Ante bonus paytable when the player's hand outranks the dealer's hand.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the bonus paytable is:

Hand

Odds

Ace, King, Queen of Same Suit

100:1 

Straight Flush

30:1 

Three of a kind

25:1 

Straight

3:1

Flush

1:1

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the ante bonus paytable is:

Hand

Payout

Ace, King, Queen of Same Suit

10 times ante bet 

Straight Flush

5 times ante bet

Three of a kind

2 times ante bet

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined number of draw cards is one.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the Play bet is a multiple of the Ante selected from the range of two times to three times the Ante, and the multiple is selectable by the player.

20 . A method of playing a card game with at least one player, comprising:

requiring the at least one player to place an Ante bet;

allowing the player to place an optional Bonus bet;

dealing five cards to the player to create a player hand;

dealing six cards face down to a dealer;

dealing one optional draw card to the player;

allowing the player to fold or place a play bet that is a multiple of the Ante after viewing the player's cards;

allowing the player an opportunity to replace one of the player's cards with the optional draw card without making an additional bet;

creating a dealer hand by discarding at least one dealer card; and

paying the player on the Ante and Play bets only when the player's hand outranks the dealer's hand in accordance with a poker hand ranking and paying the player on the Bonus bet based on the player's hand and according to a bonus paytable.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the Ante bet is resolved in favor of the player only if the best dealer hand qualifies.

22 . The method of claim 20 wherein the multiple is selectable by the player.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein an Ante bonus is paid according to ante bonus paytable only if the Ante bet is won.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the dealer discards a number of cards selected from the group consisting of 1 and 2.

25 . The method of claim 20 , and further comprising the step of the player discarding an additional card to form a final hand.

26 . A game machine comprising:

a video screen;

a player input device;

a payment input device;

a payout device; and

a processor configured to perform at least the following steps:

providing the player at least one opportunity to make an Ante bet;

dealing a plurality of cards to a player;

dealing one draw card to the player;

dealing a plurality of cards to a dealer, the dealer hand exceeding the player hand by one card;

providing the player only one opportunity to discard at least one card of the plurality dealt to a player and then replace with the at least one draw card to form a best player hand, such replacement made without the player placing an additional bet;

forming a best dealer hand from cards dealt to the dealer, the best dealer hand containing the same number of cards as the best player hand;

providing the player at least one opportunity to make a play bet that is a multiple of the Ante, or fold;

identifying the player's best hand and a best dealer hand based on predetermined card rankings;

comparing the player's best hand with the best dealer hand based on the predetermined card rankings; and

resolving all bets, wherein each of the plurality of cards dealt to the dealer is dealt face down, and wherein the number of cards dealt to the dealer is at least one more than the number of the plurality of cards dealt to each player.